Dec 31, 2010

Some 10's from 2010

As we wrap up 2010, here are some 10's I experienced this year:

Ten ways I made extra money:
  1. Swagbucks
  2. Instant Cash Sweepstakes
  3. MySurvey
  4. Pinecone Research
  5. Recycled cans & bottles for California CRV
  6. Entered blog giveaways & instant win sweepstakes
  7. Sent in for rebates
  8. Sold unwanted items on Amazon
  9. Earned interest on savings
  10. Let my investments grow
Ten ways I saved money:
  1. Played The Drugstore Game
  2. Used coupons
  3. Shopped wisely at the daily deal sites
  4. Planned menus
  5. Monitored our budget and spending
  6. Used my gift box and wrapping center
  7. Shopped online using cash back sites*
  8. Bought gift cards at the grocery store*
  9. Communicated with my family
  10. Assertively contacted customer service when I wasn't satisfied
Ten ways I helped the environment:
  1. Used reusable shopping bags (I've gotten pretty good about remembering them!)
  2. Used less paper goods
  3. Washed full loads of laundry
  4. Washed full loads of dishes
  5. Printed less paper (Screengrab and Snagit are two of my favorite tools)
  6. Used cold water instead of hot or warm when appropriate
  7. Switched to a steam mop that uses water instead of chemicals
  8. Bought a lot of organic produce and meat, and shopped at local farmer's markets
  9. Used reusable water bottles
  10. Didn't buy a lot of new things
Ten ways I gave to others:
  1. Donated money to my favorite causes
  2. Donated material goods to various charities and fund raisers
  3. Lent money through Kiva.org
  4. Gave lots of free and cheap drugstore and grocery items to friends in need
  5. Sent packages through AnySoldier
  6. Volunteered at my sons' schools
  7. Supported friends in difficult moments (mostly by listening)
  8. Shared information I'd researched (especially about schools, but also about saving money)
  9. Did some random acts of kindness
  10. Played the Free Rice Game to donate rice through the World Food Programme (fun!)
Ten of my favorite things:
  1. Favorite video game: Batman: The Brave and the Bold. It may be a kid's video game, but it was the exact right level of difficulty for me (I can't handle games that require a great deal of fine motor control).
  2. Favorite song: Shout It by Mitchel Musso. Yes, he's that Mitchel Musso, aka Oliver from Hannah Montana. But I love this song, and so does my four-year-old!
  3. Favorite recipe: The master recipe in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I almost always have some of this dough in my fridge, and I use it not just for bread but for pizza almost weekly. It's great on the grill or in the oven.
  4. Favorite shopping promo: Super double coupons at Ralphs. I went to Ralphs five days in a row. (And I've only gone a few times since then, so maybe they'll notice people are shopping less and bring the promo back?)
  5. Favorite sporting event: The World Cup. Living in Los Angeles, I don't have a football team to root for, and I'm not a big basketball, baseball or hockey fan. But I watched the World Cup almost every day for the month that it was on - thank you ESPN!
  6. Favorite charity: The USO. It's been my favorite charity for some time now, but every time I get an issue of their quarterly magazine, On Patrol, I have a renewed sense of awe and appreciation for the dedication and sacrifices of those who serve in the military. A close second is AnySoldier, which enables me to send care packages to soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other places.
  7. Favorite freebies site: Freebies 4 Mom. I find Heather to be very reliable and trustworthy, so her site is the one I rely on for free Huggies Enjoy the Ride Rewards and Pampers Gifts to Grow codes and great photo deals.
  8. Favorite free Android app: Kindle for Android. Actually, voice navigation in Google Maps is my favorite Android app, but that seems so obvious that I wanted to pick something else and the Kindle app is my second favorite. I always have my Droid with me when I'm out and about, and the Kindle app means I always have a book with me too.
  9. Favorite trend: Daily deal sites. Groupon rejected a buyout offer from Google, and LivingSocial got a huge investment from Amazon. It looks like daily deal sites are here to stay, and I'm happy about that. Use them wisely and you can save lots of money.
  10. Favorite compliment: Whenever someone told me how great my boys are :)
What are your favorites from 2010?

*Topic for a future post!

Dec 30, 2010

Pumpkin Waffles

Again, I neglected to take a picture of the finished product, but my waffles aren't very pretty anyway. Having had the experience of overflowing my waffle maker, I now tend to always put in too little batter and end up with diamonds instead of circles. I'm not a fan of Belgian waffles, so I got this Cuisinart Classic Waffle Maker a while back and it's served me well. The only thing I don't like is that if I put fruit (like blueberries or bananas) in the batter, it tends to stick. So I was rather pleased when I thought of putting pumpkin puree in, because it doesn't stick and still gives it a special flavor.

Pumpkin Waffles
Makes approximately 12 traditional waffles

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (dark or light)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs, lightly beaten
8 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup reduced fat milk
8 ounces pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)

1. Preheat your waffle maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, sugar, salt and cinnamon.

3. In a small bowl (I use my 4-cup measuring cup), whisk together the eggs, butter, milk and pumpkin. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk together until almost smooth. (Unless you sifted your brown sugar, there will be small lumps which will be extra tasty in the cooked waffles.)

4. Pour batter into your waffle maker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. Serve with warm maple syrup.

Note: For breakfast on the go, you could substitute 1/4 cup of the milk with 1/4 cup maple syrup so your waffle has the maple syrup flavor built in.

Dec 28, 2010

Two Themes for 2011: Health & Acceptance

One blog I read regularly is Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project, and recently she suggested choosing one word to set the tone for the new year. I immediately liked the idea, but I couldn't really separate the two themes I've chosen for 2011: Health and Acceptance.

Health, because I'm approaching 40, and I can feel myself getting older. The last ten years or so, I've been focused a lot outside myself - on my career, on my fertility (I had two miscarriages), being a mom, getting financially secure . . . the list goes on.

I haven't totally neglected myself, and this blog is proof of that. I wouldn't blog if I didn't enjoy it!

But.

I sense that this is the time to really start focusing on taking care of my health, to ward off any problems before they start. I need to exercise more, eat healthier, and lose some weight - these simple yet not-so-simple tasks will be at the top of my to do list.

Acceptance, because a big obstacle for me in improving my health is a failure to accept myself. I was taught, as I was growing up, to always look for ways to improve. A noble message, but what I heard was, It's not good enough. And nowhere has that message affected me more than the way I perceive myself. So in order to improve my health in a meaningful way, I also have to learn to accept myself more fully.

Of course, being healthier myself has a trickle-down effect on the family since everyone will end up eating healthier if I cook healthier foods. Plus I'll set a good example for the kids by exercising regularly and taking care of myself.

Since my health will be my top priority, I'll be blogging about it here. Let's share tips and encourage each other to take care of ourselves in 2011.

And that way 2012 will be even better :)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding

I keep meaning to get better about taking pictures when I'm going to post a recipe, but this was not one of those times. The final product was a lovely orange color from the pumpkin.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding
Serves 4 to 6

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup half & half
6 oz pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin is OK)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups cubed day-old bread
1/2 cup fair trade chocolate chunks*
nonstick cooking spray

1. Combine cream, half & half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the bread.

2. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Pour the bread mixture into the pie plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle chocolate chunks over the bread mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the mixture is set and lightly golden brown.

*The chocolate doesn’t have to be fair trade, but read this Baby Toolkit post to find out why it should be.

Dec 27, 2010

Keep on Giving After Christmas

A while back, I acquired a free subscription to Whole Living magazine, and I've been reading the December 2010 issue. There's a thoughtful article on giving, and figuring out the "right" amount to give.

I was particularly struck by the suggestion of thinking not just about what we can do without, but "of what we value most and do[ing] what we can to create more of it in the world." As the article acknowledges, the concept of giving can be overwhelming and stressful - knowing that there are so many people in the world who have so little, how do you establish a good life for yourself without feeling guilty for not giving away almost everything you have?

So I like the idea of not so much taking away from you already have, but of creating more of what's good. If it takes money to do that, then it's more of an investment than a sacrifice. And the concept of giving is expanded beyond monetary donations to taking action. That's something to think about in the new year.

For locals: The LA Times has a list of organizations that serve the homeless and are looking for contributions.

Dec 25, 2010

Ways to Make & Save Money #17: Stock your gift box and wrapping center at after-Christmas sales

You can read the rest of the Ways to Make & Save Money series here.

One way I regularly save money (and have done for years) is by keeping a "gift box" and a "gift wrapping center."

The gift box is a box where I keep items that can be used as gifts throughout the year - most of them are suitable for a kid's birthday gift, but there are also items for secretaries and friends. In the last few years, my "box" has grown to include some shelves in the closet, since board games and such items are rather large. But I've never had to rush out at the last minute to pick something up - if I do make a special purchase, it's well thought out and deliberate.

The gift wrapping center is a collection of wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbon and tape. I use it throughout the year to package the items I'm giving away. I have one of those tall wrapping paper bins for the rolls, and a couple of boxes for the ribbon. Most of the gift bags have been saved from gifts received - I remove any tags, then fold and stack them inside a large Macys shopping bag. I don't think I'd be exaggerating to say I haven't paid full price for wrapping paper, tissue paper, gift bags, ribbon or tape in the last ten years.

After-Christmas is a great time to stock your gift box and wrapping center. Hit the post-holiday sales and pick up toys, gift sets, and wrapping items for 50% off. Save even more if you can wait an extra week. For those items you plan to use throughout the year, avoid holiday-specific packaging or themes. It's easy to find solid-color or not-necessarily-holiday wrapping items that can be used year-round. In fact, my favorite wrapping paper this past year was a roll I bought at Target during last year's Christmas clearance that's a series of thin stripes of multiple colors, including purple and pink so it was cheerful yet didn't scream Christmas at all.

Over the years, I've probably saved a hundred dollars with my gift wrapping center. I can't even begin to estimate the savings from my gift box - it must be hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars at this point!

Merry Christmas!

If you celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful day!

Dec 15, 2010

Everything delayed . . .

I feel like I'm coming down with something, so nothing got done last night. I went to sleep early and hopefully that'll be enough to make today much more productive!

Dec 13, 2010

Menu Plan Monday: Planning Ahead Better


It took a few months, but I finally realized that since I stopped working full-time, I haven't been planning my meals for efficiency, and that's not helping my overly full plate of things to do. So I'm going to make a greater effort to use my freezer more, and to plan for more efficient meals, instead of taking a full one to two hours to make dinner every night. I'll also go back to doing prep work ahead of time whenever possible, so that making dinner takes less time and is less work.

I've been intrigued for a while by Michael Pollan's basic tenet: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. So I want to prepare more vegetables and fruit, and move toward more of a plant-based diet for us. I'll still serve protein with every meal, but also more veggies especially, because if they're there, I'll eat them.

So here's what's on tap:

Monday - Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes (but with beef rather than turkey, since that's what I have), Artisan Brioche Rolls (using this dough), Roasted Butternut Squash with Butter & Garlic, Creamed Spinach (I have some half & half that's expiring)

Tuesday - Pizza using artisan bread dough, sauteed green beans, salad

Wednesday - Pasta with Mushrooms and Pumpkin Gorgonzola Sauce (the kids can have plain buttered pasta because they won't eat this), sauteed spinach

Thursday - Chicken Piccata, Artisan Bread, a couple of vegetables to be decided later

Friday - I have no idea! Suggestions?

Saturday & Sunday - dinner out

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Dec 10, 2010

Some New Recipes

I spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen yesterday because we had company over for dinner, and came up with a new "recipe" for a roast in the slow cooker. I put recipe in quotes because it was a very spur of the moment thing. I had intended to make my usual roast, but at the last second, I decided not to add the soy sauce. But I didn't measure, not that anything needs to be exact. I had a 4-pound chuck roast, and I poured about 1/3 cup onion powder, 1/4 cup garlic powder, and 1/4 cup seasoned rock salt all over the meat. (You could substitute about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper for the rock salt.) I left the string on, and cooked the meat on high for about five hours and low for another hour. It came out great, and I got lots of compliments on it.

This was my first time using my brand new $12 slow cooker, and it worked perfectly. As Marie pointed out, the outside does get quite hot, but all of my slow cookers have been that way since I've stayed away from the ones with complicated electronics. I do prefer the oval shaped crock to the round crock like my new cooker has, but I'll manage since $12 is such a great price.

For dessert, I made this cookie cake, but I divided the dough in two and froze half. The other half went into a 9-inch springform pan and baked for 25 to 30 minutes until the top was a deep golden brown. I lined the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and it came out of the pan perfectly intact for a beautiful presentation. The best part was that the cookie topping was really crunchy, so the texture was fabulous.

I also made this apple cake, although we haven't tried it yet. I omitted the cinnamon and sugar topping, since I wanted to use sanding or turbinado sugar and didn't realize I was out until right before I put the cake in the oven. I did taste the batter, though, and it was great, so I expect the baked cake to be quite tasty too.

What new recipes have you tried lately?

Hot Groupon Deal: 3 Redbox Movie Rentals for $1

Right now, you can get three Redbox Movie Rentals for just $1 through Groupon. You'll get three one-night rentals, valid through March 10, 2011 (limit 1 Groupon per person). Valid only at physical kiosk locations in the U.S. for first night rental only (not valid for video game or Blu-ray rentals). Find a Redbox location near you. (Via Budget Savvy Diva.)

Learn more about Groupon here. You can also get a $10 credit when someone signs up using your referral link and makes their first purchase (thank you if you join(ed) using my referral link!). Don't forget to shop through Ebates to get back 3% of your purchase.

Also, earlier today, I picked up a $50 voucher to Touched by Flowers for $30 (it's a deal nearby in Dallas). The Groupon includes the $10 service & transmission fee, so the total value is $60. I need to send flowers to my friend's father's funeral, so the timing of this Groupon was perfect for me.

Dec 6, 2010

Menu Plan Monday: Short (Cooking) Week


We had a crazy weekend, between soccer, birthday parties and Hanukkah, so I've barely had a minute to think about this coming week's menu. What I'm thinking about, though, is thinning out the freezer a little to make room for some cookies that I can freeze for a week or two before I give them away. But I actually don't have to cook much at the end of the week because of scheduled events. With that in mind, here's my (tentative) menu plan:

Monday - Miso Chicken (using frozen chicken thighs), rice, steamed broccoli

Tuesday - Sushi? I'm going to head to the Asian market that I've been meaning to check out to see what they carry, but I definitely want some kind of Japanese food this night.

Wednesday - Tuna Pasta Salad using frozen broccoli (and I have a ton of cheap tuna and pasta in the pantry), Artisan Bread

Thursday - Slow Cooker Roast, Artisan Bread, roasted butternut squash

Friday - School event

Saturday - Dinner out

Sunday - Dinner out

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.